by Nate Ryan, USA TODAY Sports

by Nate Ryan, USA TODAY Sports

KANSAS CITY, Kan. â?? Hendrick Motorsports confirmed that one of its employees is the brother of the police officer killed Thursday night during the manhunt for the Boston Marathon bombing suspects.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer Sean Collier, 26, of Somerville, Mass., was shot and killed in the line of duty.

Andrew Collier, 25, joined Hendrick in September 2008 and works as a machinist in the team's engine department.

"It's a very sad time," five-time champion Jimmie Johnson, who drives the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick, said before Sprint Cup practice Friday at Kansas Speedway. "My thoughts and prayers are with the Collier family. It's the same for all of Hendrick Motorsports. We're one big family. It's sad and unfortunate to see a teammate and his family going through such a tough time."

Hendrick Motorsports released a statement that reads in part:

The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Hendrick Motorsports are with Andrew Collier and his family. Andrew, a machinist in the Hendrick Motorsports engine department, tragically lost his brother, Officer Sean Collier, last night in Cambridge, Mass. We ask that the family's privacy be considered during this difficult time.

Johnson has multiple connections to Monday's tragedy in Boston. He learned Tuesday that Nicole Gross, who suffered several injuries in the blast (including a broken leg, ankle and severed Achilles' tendon), is a swim coach at the Charlotte pool where Johnson often trains.

"Once that hit home, wow," Johnson said. "I know who she is. I know her face. That brought it closer to home. To learn the news this morning of (Collier's death) brings us closer to it again.

"We absolutely will race with heavy hearts. A sporting event where most people are competing for the awareness of a charity or a cause, to have these innocent people who are there in the spirit of giving back and have this tragedy take place, it's just ridiculous. As a society, it's hit us deep on that.

"But in the last three hours, it's gone to a new level knowing that a fellow teammate is directly involved with what's taken place in Boston."

Roush Fenway Racing had already made plans to honor the victims of Monday's attacks in Boston, which left three dead and more than 180 wounded.

The race team, which is partially owned by the group that owns the Boston Red Sox, plans to donate $100 for every lap the team leads to The One Fund Boston, which was set up to help people affected by the bombings. The team's three Sprint Cup cars - driven by Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. - will also carry "B-Strong" decals, done in Red Sox script, that have cropped up this week.

"When events occur such as what happened earlier this week in Boston, it is our nature to be overwhelmed with a variety of emotions," Jack Roush said in a statement. "To have to withstand an act of such senselessness and cowardice against innocent people is disheartening to us all. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families, as well as the entire city of Boston."

Edwards said he hasn't had a chance to put the events of Boston in perspective, but realizes how fortunate he is to be driving a car this weekend.

"I can't quite grasp what's going on, I guess the consequences of it, but any time you see that, for me personally, it makes you realize the world is a crazy place," Edwards told the Associated Press.

Michael Waltrip Racing will honor the bombing victims on its three cars at Kansas with special door numbers that replicate marathon bibs. Team owner Michael Waltrip ran the event in 2000 and said "the news was very personal to me. When I ran the Boston Marathon in 2000, I remember thinking about what a privilege it was to be able to participate and all the hard work it took to be there. When you can see those international flags flying in Copley Square, you know you are about to complete your journey. I know the joy those runners were feeling at that moment when their worlds changed."

Said MWR driver Clint Bowyer: "It's touched everybody all week long. It's a tragedy and a shame that these things keep happening. It's very, very sad. Everyone has been thinking about it. To hear about the Hendrick organization and family (being affected), it's sad. It's been a tough week for all of us following this. All the families affected in (the West, Texas) explosion was another crazy incident. It's been a sad week."